Fundamental Truth

You can call a Man Fatso but not a Woman because of the Double Standard when it comes to being Fat

Back when David Letterman was on NBC and the show was called Late Night with David Lettermen they had an old football player on one night. I think he was a defensive linesman or a linebacker. Who played football before there was money in playing football. Back then it was just guys playing a game hard and then getting drunk afterwards.

On this episode of Late Night this football player was telling a story about one game. It was late in the fourth quarter. The score was already decided. Nothing could happen to change who was going to win the game. But the other team was still playing hard. Trying to win. So after one play he wandered over and entered the other team’s huddle and said something like, “Come on, guys. Let’s just wrap this up and go get some beers already.” At which point one of his teammates yelled over to him from the other huddle, “Hey fatso! You’re in the wrong huddle.”

“Hey fatso! You’re in the wrong huddle.” It’s funny. For that’s the way guys are. They hurl insults at each other. And if you were a heavy guy there was nothing wrong with calling you ‘fatso’. It’s the way men joke around. It doesn’t work with women, though. If you have an overweight female coworker and you address her as fatso you’ll find yourself in sensitivity awareness training. Or fired. Because there is a double standard when it comes to being fat. You can call a man fatso. But not a woman.

Anyone espousing Keynesian Policies should be Criticized for they are doing Harm to the Economy

The political opposition and the main stream media treat President Obama with kid gloves. They will not attack him. Or even criticize his policies. Because President Obama is the first black president. And the political opposition and the mainstream media are terrified that someone will call them racist if they do. They fear that so much they’d rather see the economy collapse from his Keynesian economic policies than risk being called a racist.

President Obama is a Keynesian. Like most people in Washington making policy are. Which is a shame. As the historical record clearly shows these policies fail. But our politicians still manipulate interest rates. And spend money. Believing in the fallacy of demand-side economics. Which didn’t work to end the Great Depression. It only made the stagflation of the Seventies worse. It created a dot-com bubble and a dot-com recession. And it created a housing bubble and a subprime mortgage crisis. Giving us the Great Recession. And further Keynesian policies on top of these past failed policies have given us the worst economic recovery since that following the Great Depression.

So anyone espousing Keynesian policies should be attacked and criticized. For they are doing harm to the economy. And the country. Which is why the Democrats love President Obama. (Well, at least before Obamacare threatened their reelection chances). Because they can have him do all the things they want to do. Manipulate interest rates. Keep them near zero. By printing money. And then borrow even more money at those near-zero interest rates. Allowing the government to go on an orgy of spending. That’s why they love President Obama. (Well, at least before Obamacare threatened their reelection chances). For if anyone criticizes this reckless and irresponsible policy they can just label them a racist. And they immediately shut up. Just knowing this keeps people from speaking up in the first place.

It’s easier to Lie when you can Scare away Criticism with Charges of Racism or Sexism

But the political opposition and the mainstream media have no problem calling Governor Christie a fat man. Christie is not black. A woman. Or a Democrat. So he’s fair game. They can make the most vile fat slurs with him and it’s okay. Fatso. Fat-ass. Whatever. They don’t call it hateful. They just laugh. And pile on. They’ll even go so far as to call him a fat elephant on the cover of Time Magazine. Putting a very large profile of him that takes up most of the cover and call him the elephant in the room (a GOP reference). Because it’s okay to call him fat-ass and every other possible fat slur you can think of. But do you know who you can’t call fat? Hillary Clinton.

Should Hillary Clinton run for president again the political opposition and the mainstream media will treat her with kid gloves. They won’t call her fatso. Or fat-ass. Because that wouldn’t be nice. It’s okay to use those invectives against Governor Christie. (Just take the Christie fat slurs and replace his name with hers and see the kind of reactions you get). But if you dare use that tone with Hillary Clinton they will label you a sexist. Accuse you of being afraid of strong women (but not so strong as to be able to put up with fat jokes like Governor Christie). Proof that there is a Republican war on women. And should she win the presidency there will be little criticism of her policies. Because no one wants to be labeled a sexist. Or be accused of being afraid of strong women. Especially with the first female president. So she will get a pass on most everything she does. Like President Obama. Despite being as deserving of attacks and criticism. For she is a Keynesian, too.

With only 23% of the nation identifying as liberal the left has trouble passing their liberal policies. So they lie, of course. A lot. And it’s easier to lie when you can scare away criticism with charges of racism. Or sexism. Which is why they like President Obama so much. (Well, at least before Obamacare threatened their reelection chances). He was the first black president. Which made it harder for some to criticize him. Which helped make the lying easier. So they will most likely try to follow this strategy. Perhaps with Hillary Clinton. Who may be the first female president. Following that with other ‘firsts’. Until the opposition and the mainstream media learn that criticizing a woman’s policies doesn’t make you a sexist. Or afraid of strong women. It just means you’re criticizing a person with bad policies who happens to be a woman. Just as they will be able to criticize a black president one day.

Week in Review

The Democrats tell women that Republicans have a war on women. They, after all, don’t want to pay for their birth control. They don’t want to allow them to have an abortion. And they defend businesses that only pay women 77 cents to every dollar a man earns. Yes, Republicans may prefer seeing women as something other than sexual objects. Preferring they marry, raise a family and live happily ever after. Instead of just being sexual play things. While Democrats tell women that the only thing important to them at election time is birth control and abortion. But that gender pay gap is simply not true (see Gender Pay Gap: When You’ve Lost Slate… by Walter Olson posted 1/30/2014 on Cato).

White House speechwriters couldn’t resist sticking an applause line into President Obama’s State of the Union speech about how women supposedly earn only 77 cents to every dollar a man earns in America. Even more depressing, it drew some of the night’s biggest applause. But as almost everyone familiar with the numbers has had reason to know for years and years, it simply isn’t true. Most, if not all, of the gap melts away once you factor in variables such as hours worked, choice of occupation, and midcareer family interruption, among others.

The big applause can only mean one of two things. Either that those applauding are very ignorant of the facts they are debating. Not a good quality in a representative of the people. Or that they are lying about the facts. Which is also not a good quality in a representative of the people. So which is it? Well, let’s see. Are there any examples of Democrats lying to get something they want? Why, yes there is. The lie of the year. When President Obama said if you like your health insurance you can keep it. Period. It turns out that Obamacare wouldn’t work if people kept the health insurance they liked. So they wrote the law to make it impossible for that to happen.

So there is a history of telling big lies. Lies so big that they win the title of lie of the year. So one would have to conclude that they are knowingly lying about the gender pay gap. But why? Because women are 50% of the electorate. That’s why. And if they don’t scare or anger them into voting Democrat they may just vote based on the facts. And vote Republican.

Fundamental Truth

When you start Playing with the Meaning of Words it’s usually because you’re Trying to Lie

When President Clinton committed perjury when denying having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky he tried to play with the meaning of words. Saying it depended on what the meaning of ‘is’ is. Clinton was a lawyer. Like most politicians. Who like to parse their words. To twist their meanings. So they can say one thing. While they mean the complete opposite. Clinton said he did not have sex with Lewinsky even though he had. But the words he used could be parsed to both say he did and did not have sex with that woman. Monica Lewinsky. Lewinsky’s blue dress with Clinton’s semen on it, though, proved he was lying despite his nimble linguistic gymnastics. And the House of Representatives impeached Clinton. But the Senate didn’t have the votes to remove him from office for his perjury. Nor did he resign as Richard Nixon did after he was caught in his perjury.

In George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four the oppressive socialist state did the same thing. Play with the meaning of words. To make lying easier. The Ministry of Love was like the Gestapo in Nazi Germany or the Stasi in East Germany. Institutions that tortured and instilled fear into the people. Which was for the people’s own good. For the state loved the people. At least that’s what the state said while they were torturing and abusing the people. The Ministry of Plenty was responsible for the empty store shelves and the constant hunger gnawing in the people’s bellies. The Ministry of Peace waged perpetual war. And the Ministry of Truth was the state’s propaganda arm in charge of state censorship. Advancing the state’s lies. Like Joseph Goebbels did in Nazi Germany.

Words mean things. And when you start playing with the meaning of words it’s usually because you’re trying to lie. Trying to advance an unpopular agenda by disguising that agenda in a cloak of disarming words. You can trust anything coming from the Ministry of Truth as the word ‘truth’ is in its name. And you have nothing to fear from the secret police as the branch of government they work under is all about love. And when the state tells you over and over again that it is a moneyed upper-class that is the cause of everything that is wrong in your life you start believing it. Whether that moneyed upper-class are rich capitalists and bankers. Or Jews in 1930s Germany.

The Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush Tax Rate Cuts brought in Record Tax Revenues into the Treasury

Liberal democrats like to tax and spend. They believe in big government. They like it big like it is in Europe. Where they have socialism-light. Social democracy, they call it. A big, expansive welfare state funded by high tax rates. When taxes can’t pay for all their spending they borrow money. When they can’t borrow any more they start printing money. As a result of this excessive state spending most of Europe is mired in a sovereign debt crisis. Many nations are so broke that they have no choice but to cut back their spending. Which is sending people into the streets rioting.

This is where the U.S. is heading. Most people who understand economic fundamentals know this. And vote against going further down this European road. But there are a lot of people who don’t understand economic fundamentals. They listen to their Ministry of Truth. The Democrats, the public schools, college professors, mainstream media and the entertainment establishment. Who all lean left. And who all say the only problem we have is a moneyed upper-class who aren’t paying their fair share. Though the top 10% of income earners pay about 70% of all federal income taxes. Something the state doesn’t mention when they say they aren’t paying their fair share. So the people don’t know that they pay 70% of all federal income taxes. And they are more willing to believe their Ministry of Truth.

The public schools, college professors, mainstream media and the entertainment establishment do their part, too. By revising history. They note the deficits of Ronald Reagan in the Eighties. And blame those deficits on the Reagan tax rate cuts. But what they don’t tell the people is that after those cuts in tax rates the amount of tax revenue (money coming to Washington from taxpayers) nearly doubled. President Obama and his Ministry of Truth blame all of our economic woes on George W. Bush’s tax rate cuts. But what they don’t tell the people is that the treasury collected a record high in tax revenue under George W. Bush. Proving that cuts in the tax rates did not cause any fiscal harm. It was the greater increases in spending that caused all of the harm.

Democrats want to Raise Taxes on Everyone because they are Tax and Spend Liberal Democrats

Under baseline budgeting increases in spending amounts are automatic. Every year they go up. And they never go down. So when the politicians decry proposed draconian spending cuts there are no real cuts in spending per se. What they are proposing to cut is the rate at which to increase spending. Say, instead of an automatic 7% spending increase they will only increase spending 5%. Spending will increase 5%. But those in government call it a 2% spending cut. Which is why despite all of the spending cuts ever enacted (and there hasn’t been a lot of them) the federal debt has never gotten any smaller.

So an increase in spending can be a spending cut. But the Orwellian doublespeak doesn’t stop there. Those on the Left call tax cuts increases in government spending. (Interestingly, the only kind of spending the government can never afford.) Here’s why. Excessive spending causes deficits. And if they cut tax rates they believe less money will flow into the treasury. Thus increasing the size of the deficit. Ergo, spending and tax cuts are the same because both increase the deficit. Of course that’s a fallacy. As proven by Reagan and Bush. Who actually increased tax revenues by cutting tax rates. How? Lower tax rates encourages more economic activity. More people are working and paying taxes. Resulting in a higher tax revenue overall.

Currently President Obama and his Ministry of Truth are saying that the Republicans are fighting against a middle class tax cut to give the richest 2% a tax cut. Which isn’t exactly true. There are no tax cuts on the table. The George W. Bush tax cuts are expiring. If they expire everyone’s taxes will go up. The president wants to extend these tax cuts. But only for the middle class. Unfortunately, there are many small business owners whose business earnings flow to their personal tax returns. Which puts them into the richest 2%. But most of that money never comes out of their business. They may be taxed as rich people. But they live middle class lives. Because they reinvest their earnings into their business. To buy new equipment. To expand their business. And to hire new people. This is why Republicans don’t want to raise taxes on these small business owners. For it’s these small business owners who provide the majority of jobs in the economy. And increasing their taxes will only hurt the economic recovery.

The Republicans offered to increase tax revenues by revising the tax code to eliminate certain deductions. Providing the amount of revenue the president was asking for. But the president refused. For he wants those increases in the tax rates. To complete the revision of history by ‘righting the wrongs’ of the Reagan and the Bush administrations. To further the lie about the Reagan and Bush tax cuts. But there’s another reason. The amount of revenue he’s asking for now (whether it’s from eliminating deductions or increasing tax rates) won’t make a dent in the deficit. Or the debt. The only way they will be able to do that is by increasing taxes on the middle class. Which will be a lot easier to do after they raised taxes on the rich. Which is what they want to do. Raise taxes on everyone. Because they are tax and spend liberal Democrats. But as most people don’t vote for people that want to raise their taxes, they lie. And play with the meaning of words. As liars do. And the politician that plays with the meaning of words most is the politician that is lying the most.

Politics 101

Moderates just want to Get Along with Everyone and Believe in Consensus and Bipartisanship

Moderates are people who like to pick and choose. A little from this philosophy. And a little from that philosophy. For example, a moderate Catholic may approve of abortion. Because they disagree with the extreme view of no abortions in Catholicism. Of course, there is no such thing as being a little bit Catholic. Just like you can’t be a little bit pregnant.

A moderate, then, has no philosophical basis. And doesn’t have a definite opinion. They don’t know what they want. But they know what they don’t want. Extreme opinions. Even just your run of the mill opinions. To them everything is just an opinion. And no opinion is right. Or wrong. It’s just an opinion. And they don’t like to face the extreme unpleasantness that is life. They’d rather avoid addressing problems that can make life unpleasant. So they procrastinate. And are great procrastinators. Their motto is this. Why solve today what we can solve tomorrow? And then they hope that tomorrow never comes.

Moderates just want to get along with everyone. They believe in consensus. Reaching across the aisle. Bipartisanship. For they believe that there is a middle ground in every issue. And they desperately seek the middle ground to avoid confrontation. Which means that you can lie to them. If you tell them what they want to hear. And they will believe you. Because they want to believe you. Especially if you’re telling them what they want to hear.

Adolf Hitler lied Charismatically to Win Votes and Seize Power

Moderates are good people. Who can be led astray. Such as in Nazi Germany. The vast majority of Germans were not Nazis. If they were they wouldn’t have needed such an oppressive police state. And there would have been no Gestapo. But there was a police state. And a Gestapo.

Most Germans just wanted to work. And support their families. Which was hard to do coming out of World War I, the Great Depression and hyperinflation. Caused by Keynesian policies. That is, printing money. To pay their war reparations per a rather harsh Versailles Treaty.

Adolf Hitler knew how to sweet talk the masses. Tell them what they wanted to hear. And he did. He was charismatic. A populist. Could give a great speech. And he lied through his teeth. The people heard what they wanted to hear. And they voted for him. That’s right. Hitler didn’t seize power in a military coup. He seized power by winning votes. And passing populist laws. After he had failed to seize power in a military coup.

Moderates may not Know what they Want but they Sure Know what they Don’t Want, such as National Health Care

In the U.S. the moderates typically determine elections. Because about 40% of the people are limited-government conservatives. About 20% are big-government liberals. And the rest are moderates. And they tend to vote Democrat. Because the Democrats say the things they want to hear. Consensus. Bipartisan. Working together to solve the people’s problems.

Some big-government liberals run as conservatives during elections. And they lie so well that often a large percentage of these moderates vote Democrat. Because, for some reason, they want to vote conservative. But only if the conservative is a Democrat.

Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama campaigned as moderates. In fact, some even compared Barack Obama to the great Ronald Reagan. A conservative Republican. And it worked. Clinton and Obama won their elections. By lying. They campaigned as limited-government moderates. But they governed as big-government liberals. They swung so far to the left that they both lost their mid-term elections. Clinton lost the midterms for trying to pass Hillarycare. And Obama loss the midterms for passing Obamacare.

The moderates may not know what they want. But they know what they don’t want. And they sure don’t want national health care.

The Consequence of having no Philosophical Basis is that Decisions are based on Populist Views and Feelings

Moderates don’t like extreme opinions. Like the government can’t spend money it doesn’t have. So Democrats campaign saying they will get the rich to pay their fair share. Which sounds good. Because moderates aren’t rich. They’re hardworking middle class people. So moderates vote Democrat because it seems like the nice thing to do. The fair thing to do. So the government continues to spend money it doesn’t have. Knowing that they can continue in their irresponsible ways as long as they can get moderates to believe their lies.

This is the consequence of having no philosophical basis. Decisions are based on populist views. And feelings. Which a cunning big-government liberal politician can always exploit. And they have to if they ever hope to win an election. For they aren’t going to convert the 40% of the people who are limited-government conservatives. Because limited-government conservatives actually believe in something. And tend to be impervious to their lies.

The More they Trust You the Easier it is to Lie to Them

People lie for one reason. They don’t want you to hear the truth. Sometimes it’s done with good intentions. “No, those jeans don’t make your butt look big.” Most times it’s not. “I am not having an affair. And I can explain those earrings you found in the backseat. And the underwear that’s not yours. Just give me a minute.”

The truth about lying is the truth. And someone’s attempt to hide it. A husband doesn’t tell his wife about an affair. Because he doesn’t want his wife to know about the affair. For a variety of reasons. But mostly so he can keep having the affair.

And this is why people lie. To continue doing something they couldn’t otherwise do. By misleading those people who know them. Who love them. Who trust them. And the funny thing is, the more they trust you the easier it is to lie to them. “Look, honey, I didn’t want to say anything before. But the rumor at work was that John and Mary were having an affair. I didn’t believe it at first. I mean, they’re both married. And they’re more than just my coworkers. They’re my friends. Then one day John had to borrow my car. So I lent it to him. The next thing Bill tells me is that he sees John and Mary in my car turning into an alley. Guess I know what they were doing in that alley.”

See? Easy.

Good Lying is about Creative Language and Class Warfare

So if you’re into lying it’s best to get yourself into a position where lots of people trust you. Like elected office. Because for some reason people tend to trust anyone in government. Far more than those evil greedy people in corporate America. Or rich people in general. Even though it’s a given that politicians lie. It is an interesting dynamic. How this inherently dishonest institution is trusted first then questioned about their honesty later. Long after the scandals that follow them. So how do they do it? How do these liars get to be so trusted?

It’s all about creative language. And class warfare. You need to get people to hate each other. And then you stoke those passions. Keep them burning hot. So they feel more than think. For the less they think the more they’ll fall for your soaring rhetoric. You say the rich should pay their fair share (even though they pay a disproportionate high percentage of taxes). And that rich CEOs shouldn’t get tax breaks to fly around in their private jets (even though they use them for legitimate business purposes). You cast yourself as the protector of the little guy against rich and corporate interests. Even though you’re anything but. But that’s how it’s done. And no one does it better than liberal Democrats.

For they are the king of liars. Ivy League educated. Arrogant. Pompous. Filled with an air of all-knowing condescension. They just brim with loathing and self-confidence. They loath you and I who are not their equals. And they believe that there is nothing that they can’t do. And what do they want to do? Tax and spend. Control the economy. And tell us how we should live. In the enlightened world they envision. Of course, this has not proven to be a successful political platform. People don’t want to elect people like this. So they lie about what they want. And who they are. With a creative use of language.

Twisting the Meanings of Words

No one likes paying taxes. No one will vote for someone who says they’re going to raise their taxes. Which is a bit of a problem for a tax and spend liberal. So they don’t use the ‘T’ word. No. Instead, taxes are called ‘contributions’. Or simply ‘revenue’. Because contributions sound voluntary. And revenue sounds kind of warm and fuzzy. In the business world, raising revenue is a good thing. And they hate taxes in the business world. Just like you. So you feel less threatened about talks to raise revenue than you do about talks to raise taxes. Even though they are the same thing.

With ever growing deficits, some people are growing a little skittish about excessive government spending. At least, the people paying the taxes. Those people with jobs. They don’t want to pay more in taxes. And they’re getting a little nervous about the huge federal debt. So the responsible side in them tells them to say ‘no’ to more spending. So the tax and spend liberal uses the word ‘investment’ instead. They say we need to invest in infrastructure to rebuild our aging roads and bridges (even though gasoline taxes already pay for this work). That we need to invest in education and research to keep America on the forefront of technology (even though we already spend a fortune on these already). Investing in our future? Well, yes, that sounds good. And perhaps we should. So we agree not to cut these investments. But we’ll still resist excessive government spending. Even though these are the same thing.

You see, the tax and spend liberal looks at the economy differently. They see all money belonging to them. Including ours. They let us work. Earn a paycheck. But your net pay is only the portion of their money they begrudgingly let you keep. In fact, what they don’t tax away from you they call government spending. Or tax expenditures. They’ll say things like, “We can’t afford to pay for these tax cuts.” Of course, you don’t pay for ‘tax cuts’. A tax cut is when the rightful owner of the money gets to keep it. Instead of the government taking it away. But calling this ‘government spending’ makes it easier to cut. For cutting spending is a responsible thing to do. But when they cut this spending they are actually raising taxes. Clever, eh? Talk about twisting the meaning of words.

Get serious about deficit reduction = increase both spending and taxes

Blue ribbon panel/special commission = where you place an issue that you’re afraid to address

Failed policies of the past = the very successful policies of Reaganomics

Radical right wing = any Republican that doesn’t vote for more Democrat spending

Republicans have Less to Hide

Liberal Democrats lie because no one wants what they’re selling. But because they’re so much smarter than we are they’ve come up with a way to fool us. By lying. And using Orwellian language. To make us accept things that we would normally not accept.

Just look at their campaigns. And their language. They campaign as moderates. Then govern as liberals. They want to raise our taxes. But they don’t tell us that they want to raise our taxes. Why? Because taxpayers don’t share their Orwellian vision. For if the people believed as they believed they would be honest. But they don’t. So they are less than honest.

Republicans, on the other hand, call ‘tax cuts’ tax cuts. And ‘tax hikes’ tax hikes. They run as conservatives. And govern as conservatives. Until they’re corrupted by Washington, at least. But based on language usage alone even the most partisan hack would have to admit that the Republicans have less to hide. And, therefore, govern more according to the will of the people.

Posted in Liberal Delusions of Grandeur, Partisanship, Taxes - Comments Off on FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH #76: “You know they’re governing against the will of the people when they play with the meaning of words to fool the people.” -Old Pithy

A Despot needs a Mob

A despot can’t rise to power alone. Because there is only one of him. Or her. A despot needs a mob. Either to take power by force. Or to vote him or her into office. And unless the despot is in a despotic/third world country, the taking of power by force is not an option. Military coups are just not that common in first-world democracies. Mainly because no one’s life is that bad where they would risk the punishment for treason. Because things like that will stay on your permanent record. Doesn’t look good on a resume. And treason can get you killed.

So, in a democratic country, you need to get people to vote for you. Because the path to power is through the ballot box. Even Adolf Hitler got his power in an election. And he did that by lying. Well, if you read his book (Mein Kampf), you had an idea. Because he pretty much spilled his guts out in that book. But few read it, apparently. Even though it became a best seller. After the fact. When he had already ascended to power and it became required reading. Or, required ownership. It was the Nazi Bible. Everyone had to have one. Though few read it.

So how did Hitler rise to power? He made the people like him. And took advantage of some crises. The armistice that ended World War I. The Versailles Treatyreparations. The Great Depression. Things that really hurt the German people. Made them angry. Looking for relief. And Hitler promised it. Delivered in some magnificent oratory. He hypnotized the masses with his speeches. He knew what was wrong. And it wasn’t the people’s fault. It was others who wronged them. The Allies. The politicians who stabbed Germany in the back at Versailles. And, of course, the Jews.

Class Warfare works because it’s Emotional

It’s a winning formula. Take advantage of a crisis. By blaming it on someone. It doesn’t really matter who. As long as it is a small voting bloc. And, of course, championing the little guy. Being their voice. Say the things they would like to say. Say what they want to hear. And who is the little guy? None better than the poor. Because there are always a lot of them. And a lot of them are uneducated. But they know one thing. Rich people have a better life. And an easier life. While they have little. And have a harder life. Anyone can see how that isn’t fair. Anyone that is poor, that is. And anyone looking to exploit the poor.

There’s a reason why class warfare has been successful. It works. It’s irrational. Illogical. But it’s emotional. Which is how you win elections. By tapping into the feelings of the masses. You don’t want them to think. You want them to feel. To feel their wrath. Their frustrations. Their hopelessness. For them to feel how unfair life is. How those in power (the politicians, the rich, the Jews, etc.), are keeping you down so they can live a privileged life. It’s powerful. And wins elections.

Of course, it’s often nothing more than a bunch of lies. A complicated formula of treaties started World War I. After the assassination of an Austrian duke. In contested land in southeast Europe. The Balkans. A great historical crossroads of culture and religion. That everyone and his brother has laid claim to since time immemorial. It was a mess getting into. And a bigger mess getting out of. It had less to do with Jewish bankers. And more to do with territorial ambitions of empires. Which Germany had. As did Hitler. But that doesn’t go over well with the masses at election time. Because history is boring. No one wants to hear about it. History is old. About a time long ago. The voters don’t want to hear about that. They want to know what you are going to do for them now. What are you going to do about their anger and frustration now?

The Power of the Lie

Well, you lie, of course. You have to. Because an angry and frustrated people want some kind of relief. And they’re going to vote for the person who promises to give them the most. They’re not going to vote for someone that is going to take away their freedoms and make them live in a police state. I mean, if Hitler had told the truth in one of those magnificent speeches instead of putting it in a book that was painful to read, people would have heard the truth. And it would have made a difference at the ballot box. “So, Heinz, who are you going to vote for? The Independent (Hindenburg)? The Communist (Thälmann)? Or the Nazi? That guy that’s going to create the Gestapo that will oppress us and make us live in fear? And conscript us and send us away to fight in a world war while our cities are bombed?” “Hmmm, I don’t want a harder life, Günter, so I’ll probably vote for the Commie or the Independent.” Incidentally, the vote tally in 1932 was as follows: 53.1% (Independent), 36.7% (Nazi) and 10.1 % (Communist). Hitler didn’t win the presidential election. But because of the large vote he got, Hindenburg reluctantly made him chancellor. Proving the power of the lie. And the rest is history.

No one willingly votes for a harder life. And that’s what a despot will do once elected. Because the despot wants power and wealth. Not to help the poor. The poor are only a convenient tool to use during an election. So the despot must lie. And because they are lying and have no intention of following through on any of their promises, the sky is the limit. They can promise anything. Even things that are impossible to do. And attack the rational plan of the opposition as radical and extreme. So they appeal to the emotions. And attack the rational. That’s why dictators in third-world nations round up intellectuals, college professors, students and anyone with glasses (a sign that they can read). They don’t want people thinking. They want them feeling. Feeling their anger. And feeling their frustration.

And this is why they win elections. For people would rather hear a pleasant lie than an unpleasant truth. Because it feels better. Vote for me and I will give you a free college education, a housing subsidy, a shorter work week, a longer summer vacation, a younger retirement age, a richer pension and, of course, free health care for everyone. We’ll pay for it by taxing the rich. And we’ll tax them so much that we’ll be able to cut your taxes. People like that message. Those who don’t consider themselves rich, at least. They don’t want to hear that the country is broke. That we can’t afford these generous benefits anymore. They want to hear yes we can. If only the rich pay their fair share.

Pushing People down into Poorer Classes

Of course, the problem becomes that dividing line between the rich and everyone else. Because the rich are the bad guys. The ones living the comfortable life without having to work hard. They’re easy to demonize. The poor have no love for them. But the middle class is another story.

The middle class is the sweet spot of the population. They’re not rich. And there are a lot of them. More importantly, they’re not poor. And they vote. So what to do? If you lump them in with the rich when you attack the rich, they may not vote for you. But politics is about one thing. Money. And you get it by increasing taxes. The rich are taxed so much that raising rates on them does little. They got rich because they’re smart with money. And they will only pay so much in taxes. And the poor are poor. No, if you’re going to increase taxes, you have to do it on the middle class. So you do. After the election. After the lying. Then you raise their taxes. So much so that you force those at the bottom of the middle class into the poor class.

For this is the goal of the despot. To push people down into poorer classes. Push some of the rich into the middle class. And a lot of the middle class into the poor class. Then you champion the poor. Attack the rich. While taxing the middle class. Those you allow to remain rich become your cronies. As in crony capitalism. Who lavish you with wealth in exchange for government contracts. While the middle class toils away for less. And the poor look up to you as their savior. Grateful that you’re one of them. Even though you live in a palace. While they don’t. And even though their lives are still pretty wretched, the rich at least got theirs. Sure, it doesn’t put food on the table. But it feels good.